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View Poll Results: The Question of Dew-Claws

Voters

266. You may not vote on this poll

I expect a breeder to remove them, and would not buy a dog with it's dew-claws intact

11242.11%

I prefer dew-claws to be removed, but would consider a breeding where they were left intact.

8732.71%

Dew-claws are not a consideration to me. It doesn't matter to me whether they are left intact or not

259.40%

I would prefer dew-claws to be left intact and more breeders should consider this option.

I don't have a strong opinion right now about the dew claws but after reading through some of the responses I would lean towards keeping them on. But if I found a must-have pup, and the pup had had the dews removed, I would get it. At least that is how I feel today.

Does anyone know about the dews in other canid species like wolves? Wolves must do fine with them; the idea that they are a hazard in our pet pooches doesn't make sense to me.

Neither of my current dogs have dew claws, so I got nothin' to go on. We had a beagle that had his dew claws, never had a problem except once I caught his choke chain on it but that healed quick. I'm racking my brains trying to remember if our previous lab had dew claws or not.

I've found the opposite to be true--the show folks have stated they like the "clean" look of the front legs without them. It's a disqualification for CBRs to have rear dew claws, but I've never had any on my pups and only ever seen one CBR with rear dews. The two buyers that wanted them left on were avid hunters and believed the dew claws helped with traction in rough or icy terrain.

I haven't voted because I think the jury is still out. All 3 of my dogs are "clawless". The older one, almost 9, has had on and off wrist lameness in the front right. A year or so ago I noticed a lump that had developed over the dew claw area. His lameness would appear after hard work. This one has always abused himself horribly with the way he runs, stops, turns and flips and it was not uncommon for him to be a little sore the next day. BTW, he can also pull himself up on just about any surface. But when the lump appeared I took him to the vet. He said that the dew claw on that leg had been removed "badly" (his words) and that a piece of it is under the skin, thus forming the lump. He could not tell me if it was in any way related to the lameness in that wrist area. So for the first time I am seriously considering whether dew claw removal is always a good thing. And Paul, he managed to slash me up plenty good enough swimming even with no dew claws!

Option 2 is more or less both for and/or against the question.
Basically a Neutral, considering both options are available in the one option. Adding the top two options together and saying 80% or for removal seems to be in error.

The 2ndhalf of the question also means, they don’t care.
If you prefer but also don’t care that’s not entirely PRO Dew Claw Removal.
Using the second half of the sentence in option #2
you could say;“56% of voters, would consider a pup if Dew Claws were left intact”

And that would be a true statement based on the poll.

OR

You have 51 Voters who will not purchase a pup unless Dew Claws are removed,
and you have 68 Voters who would purchase a pup with Dew Claws intact.

... leaving those who demand dew claws removed to be in the minority.

STATS AND POLLS! all in the eyes of the beholder, much like our Mainstream Media

STATS AND POLLS! all in the eyes of the beholder, much like our Mainstream Media

Not sure I agree, Option 1 is an All or None, Option 2 is a personal preference for removal; not an absolute No, just what a person prefers. (Ex I prefer Black Females, doesn't mean I wouldn't consider a Yellow female, or even a male out of a particular breeding, but given the choice I want a black girl). Thus they can be placed on the Pro dew-claw removal side of the spectrum. I assume most breeders want to make buyers happy, if a majority of people care enough about dew-claws to prefer their removal. It would make since to remove them, even if it isn't an all out stopping point for puppy purchase.

Still I wish I had put the all- or nothing division on the to be left intact side, I do wonder how many people say NO to a breeding, simply because a breeder chooses to remove the dew-claws. I don't think I know anyone who would be that adamant about dew claws remaining intact.

"They's Just DAWGS"; "I train dogs, Not papers"
"Hunting is a skill to be learned whether you do it early or late it still needs to be learned"

As a BUYER, I would prefer they were on, though wouldn't throw one out because they were removed. As a BREEDER, I leave them on. Caveat: They are tight on the leg in the dogs I have and their ancestors. If I was going to breed to a male that had loose dews or a history of them, I would remove them at birth. I don't want to set up my puppy buyers or the pup for failure and harm.

Show people used to prefer them OFF because it gave a cleaner look. That is slowly changing. Do I have a problem selling puppies with dews? No. It's a preference and if they don't want a pup with dews, then there are other well bred dogs with them off.

I know torn dews happen. In 20 years I haven't had one. I've had 3 rip off complete nail capsules, though, leaving nothing but quick, and that makes me cringe. Ugh...painful and bloody....and

Embarrasing when it happens on a beautiful sunny day, in the middle of a fully packed, busy Rest Stop, on a busy interstate and the dog is screaming bloody murder and blood is flying all over the place....Oh yeah....and the dog is light yellow.

To me a good Vet is priceless. When mine told me she would NOT remove dews I had a choice. Find another Vet or leave dews on. Since I prefer my dogs to be kept healthy I reluctantly went along with my Vet. I asked for her info on why she does not want to remove dews and was given a copy of a study done by a respectable University that showed the possibility of wrist problems later in life for ones with dews removed. This being said I am 71 years old and have haad dogs since I can remember and have never had a dog tear a dew claw. I have had FT Pointers , hounds and Labs.

If its good enough for Otey then its good enough for me. My puppies will keep their dew claws.

L Spann

DISCLAIMER: The above post is the opinionated and biased view of your's truly, Lonnie Spann, and is in no way intended to reflect the opinions or views of the unfortunate individuals named below who just happen to be doomed with guilt by association.

Member of CAHRC and North AL HRC. I train with AND AM FRIENDS WITH: Fishduck, Laidback, Splash_Em, RF2, Drake2014, Claimsadj, Hooked on Quackers, RookieTrainer and Roseberry.